Explaining G&T to NQTs

Part 1 of this articles focuses on how G&T specialists can support NQTs. If you're an NQT please scroll down for Part 2.

Part 1: Supporting NQTs

Many staff in school have responsibility in one way or another for the induction and ongoing support of NQTs and new teachers. Many staff will also find themselves giving guidance to beginning teachers on how to plan for and teach very able pupils. A member of staff with designated responsibility for G&T education will certainly have a role in supporting NQTs in this area, often directly and often through advising other staff on how they too can offer support.

NQTs come to their first post with variable knowledge and experience of teaching very able pupils. You will therefore want to establish their starting points before selecting from the suggested areas in the box, right, to discuss with your NQTs.

You may also include more able pupils when discussing topics such as inclusion, Every Child Matters and 14-19 education. Other key colleagues should also be involved in sharing their perspectives and knowledge in respect of able pupils, for example assessment managers, pastoral staff, Sencos, National Strategy coordinators.

Don’t forget too that many NQTs have a great deal to offer more experienced teachers and could be invited, for example, to lead a departmental discussion, share ideas and resources or organise an enrichment/extra-curricular activity for G&T pupils.

Suggested areas of disccussion with NQTs

• Identifying areas of the induction standards which relate to able pupils and reviewing NQTs’ competence in them.
• Undertaking a ‘gap analysis’ for individual NQTs of the key areas of identification, provision and monitoring pupils’ progress and exploring how the Classroom Quality Standards could be used to improve areas of practice.
• Exploring the school’s policy for G&T pupils.
• Discussing the context of the school and its definition of and provision for G&T pupils, with reference to pupils who might underachieve.
• Exploring how to identify and provide for more able pupils.
• Exploring definitions of high ability and talent in particular subject areas.
• Looking at ways of differentiating lesson planning to include the
  most able.
• Considering classroom management/organisation to support the
  most able.
• Focusing on specific areas of practice, for example, questioning, problem solving, classroom enquiry, independent learning, differentiation strategies.
• Discussing how to guide/deploy other adults, such as TAs and learning mentors, to support able pupils.
• Shadowing a ‘case study’ pupil.
• NQTs giving individual support/mentoring to a pupil.
• NQTs shadowing a teacher known to have good practice with G&T pupils.
• NQTs helping with an enrichment activity.
• NQTs designing a task/resource with a teacher/other NQT.
• NQTs attending staff professional development events.
• NQTs participating in a school working group.

G&T specialists helping others to help NQTs

Much of your role as a designated G&T specialist may be taken up supporting your colleagues in making good provision for G&T pupils. Colleagues may also need some advice as to how they can support NQTs in developing their skills in planning and teaching. You could suggest that they explore any of the areas outlined above but it may be most helpful and realistic to invite them to:

• model good practice in, for example, teaching, expectations and classroom ethos
• share resources and ideas
• provide/point out professional development opportunities
• observe teaching and give feedback.

Other staff who could provide guidance and information to NQTs and others about teaching and supporting able pupils are:

• staff with ‘pastoral’ responsibilities
• learning mentors
• SENCOs
• senior leadership team
• curriculum and assessment managers
• strategy coordinators
• external experts such as educational psychologists, extended schools coordinators, and local authority advisers.

Part 2: Advice for NQTs supporting G&T pupils

Gifted and talented – what’s it all about?

‘Gifted and talented’ is becoming a more common phrase in schools. In the past, much of the emphasis for extra teaching attention has been focused on the less able, and very able children have often been sidelined.

The establishment of the National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth (NAGTY) and the existence of a number of organisations (see ‘Further information’) dedicated to improving the quality and range of opportunities for G&T pupils indicate the scope of the work being undertaken. In this country, the education of able and talented pupils should be part of an inclusive curriculum that recognises individual differences and aspirations through what is termed ‘personalised education’.

What you can expect to see in school

Many schools now have a policy for G&T pupils and a teacher responsible for managing and coordinating provision. More schools now have well-developed provision for G&T pupils but not all schools have made good progress in this area. The introduction of the Quality Standards for G&T education and an increased use of pupil achievement data will enable schools to evaluate what they have in place against a benchmark of what is considered to be good provision. 

• understand the key learning and social needs of able pupils
• look out for potential in your subject and more generally
• consider what ‘challenge’ means in different subjects
• work out what knowledge and skills a pupil needs to achieve highly.

In your planning and teaching, you need to think about:

• able pupils’ prior learning and their short and long-term learning goals
• differentiating to ensure that pupils’ learning is deepened, extended and sufficiently paced, through, for example:
• a) an emphasis on higher-order skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, evaluation and analysis
• b) advanced content knowledge
• c) facilitating pupils’ independence in learning
• d) the use of more complex language and demanding resources
• e) an emphasis on pupils developing and using research skills
• f) less repetition and moving more quickly through the curriculum or basic skills.
• using assessment for learning and target setting to enable more able learners to progress.

You may find it helpful to revisit the higher-level descriptors of the NC or to look at the criteria for the higher grades in GCSE and A-level (although many able pupils can go well beyond these into ‘thinking like an expert’).

The secondary strategy generic and subject guidance on teaching able pupils together with the KS3 leaflet Key Messages for Able Pupils give examples of challenge and extension. The QCA optional tests and tasks give you an insight into the kinds of appropriate assessment activities.

Classroom organisation for differentiation might involve:

• an open-ended task for all
• different tasks for different groups
• individually negotiated tasks
• core for all plus options for some
• specialist input/support
• one-to-one tutorials or mentoring.

A particular challenge for teachers, especially new ones, is differentiating for the most able in a mixed-ability or wide-ability situation (this can also occur in ‘top sets’). Useful strategies are:

• role assigning to individuals or small groups, for example: hot seating; group leadership; decision making; summarising; reporting; chairing; task explanation to other groups; researcher role
• role playing (debates, simulations)
• giving less support and fewer instructions for some
• setting longer term tasks for which pupils take responsibility
• providing choice in how to handle content (use of different media, different registers)
• providing differentiated resources for pupils to select and use
• differentiating questioning
• providing individualised learning through self-study resources and ICT
• offering support by older students or adults (teaching assistants/experts brought in)
• setting differentiated homework
• giving opportunities for pupils to work with others of similar abilities in and outside the classroom.

Take account of the age and emotional maturity of able pupils just as you do for all others. And remember:

• precocious behaviour is not necessarily an indicator of exceptional ability
• ability can be hidden by lack of cultural or linguistic know-how
• with younger children especially, it’s important to work closely with parents or carers and other teachers.

What do you say to parents?

• Do be sensitive to parents who aren’t aware they have a very able child and might need support to help their child.
• Do be clear about what you mean when talking about a child’s ability (in what?) and what the child needs to do in order to make good progress.
• Do refer difficult or anxious parents to more senior members of staff.
• Do know the school policy on speaking to parents about G&T; check with your induction tutor/headteacher/G&T specialist.
• Don’t use ‘edu-speak’.

Who can help you?

Your school and LA can support you. It is the responsibility of all teaching staff to make sure that they differentiate appropriately for the most able and anyone supporting you should be able to give you guidance. As a minimum you should expect:

• the induction programme to include the school’s policy for G&T pupils and professional development for you on G&T
• a senior member of staff or head of department to help you prepare to teach able pupils in your subject(s).

Many schools have a G&T coordinator (or lead teacher of the gifted and talented). Most LAs have an adviser with responsibility for G&T. Some LAs have policy guidance, support materials and professional development courses for teachers. Many universities (for example, Oxford Brookes University) offer short and long courses in G&T education.

The most recent developments to support you are the Institutional Quality Standards for Gifted and Talented Education and Classroom Quality Standards. These provide a blueprint for effective G&T provision in your school and classroom and a way to evaluate how good it is.